


Worth It

by SkyWasMadeofAmethyst



Category: Game Grumps
Genre: F/M, Friends to Lovers, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-25
Updated: 2018-01-25
Packaged: 2019-03-09 05:46:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13474926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkyWasMadeofAmethyst/pseuds/SkyWasMadeofAmethyst
Summary: Dan and Abby were just friends. So why did it bother him so much that she had a date?





	Worth It

Dan had zero right to feel jealous. So why did seeing her being hit on make him feel so miserable?

Couldn’t the jerk see that they were in the middle of a conversation when he’d approached them taking her eyes off of Dan and the joke he’d been trying to tell her? They could have been on a date for all the stupid jerk knew. Of course, they weren’t on a date though. Dan had never worked up the nerve to take her on a legit real date.

Instead Dan found himself calling her to see whichever movie was in theaters using the excuse that he didn’t want to see the movie alone. He took her out to lunch on weekends. They occasionally had late night dinners at a diner downtown when neither of them could sleep. They always had pancakes and coffee on those nights; they would sit up at the greasy little diner talking about everything from which Pink Floyd song was the best to where they saw themselves five years from now.

Of course, Dan rarely missed the chance to watch her perform at open mic nights. He was always right there in the front row watching her as she sang covers of songs with her acoustic guitar. She would sing everything from David Bowie to Lorretta Lynn. Though Dan didn’t care for the country he still couldn’t deny just how pretty her voice sounded as she sang Coal Miners Daughter.

She’d watched Dan and Brian perform at comedy clubs as Ninja Sex Party on occasion. She had even made it to one of their bigger shows Dan proudly providing her with a backstage pass.

These weren’t dates though; they’d never been on a real date.

Anytime anyone had questioned Dan about Abby and he, he had always insisted that they were just friends, nothing more, nothing less.

If they were nothing more than friends though then why did the possibility of some other guy hitting on Abby make Dan feel so awful?

He guessed he shouldn’t be shocked that another man was showing her attention. Abby was cute. She was more than cute, she was hot. Abby had those pretty blue eyes that people complimented. She had long purple locks that had caught Dan’s attention the second he’d spotted them. She was a natural blonde she’d confessed to him at one point and Dan had been almost tempted to tell her she’d be pretty no matter what color her hair was.

She was so tiny, at least compared to Dan. She was far shorter than him. He felt like he almost towered over her. Her small frame made her seem so fragile and as hard as Dan had tried to hide it he couldn’t help but to have the overwhelming desire to protect her each time he looked at her.

She was more than just attractive though. She had an equally beautiful personality to match her face. She was always so willing to cheer Dan up when he was in a bad mood. She was always smiling; always laughing. She was talented too. She was so much more than a pretty face to Dan. Abby had been singing since she was a child and had been playing the guitar almost as long.

Her mother had taught high school choir and her father had been a musician and bass teacher so music had always been part of Abby’s life.

Dan had met Abigail Wilson or Abby as she preferred to be called at an open mic night six months ago. They had met at the very bar they were standing in right now.

Dan and Brian had come to the open mic to see one of their friends perform.

Abby had just walked on to the stage when they’d entered the bar. She’d begun to sing a cover of Hey Jude by the Beatles.

Dan had heard her before he laid eyes on her. He hated to admit that he had been love at first listen. Once he’d caught the sight of her though he’d known he’d been screwed. The pretty voice matched the pretty face.

He’d approached her after her performance. He’d been a bit hopelessly awkward at first; stumbling over his words a little fearing he’d come across as being a creep. He hadn’t been looking for anything romantic that night. He’d just broken up with a girlfriend and had decided to swear off relationships for a little while.

He’d been unable to stop himself from approaching Abby though despite the voice in the back of his head insisting that it was a bad idea, that he wasn’t ready to even begin talking too a pretty girl, not this close to a painful breakup.

When Dan and Abby had started to talk about music any awkwardness between them had faded.

By the end of the night they’d exchanged numbers and they’d been hanging out as strictly just friends ever since then.

Dan had tried so hard to ignore the crush he’d developed on Abby. He had tried to tell himself that it would pass; that he was just feeling clingy after his breakup. He’d tried to tell himself that he was just crushing hard on Abby because she was a pretty nice girl who was showing him attention.

He’d been lacking attention in his past relationship after all. His ex-girlfriend and he had barely had time for one another between his job and her job. They’d fought more often than not leaving Dan feeling a bit affection starved. Things had grown ugly towards the end of the relationship he and his ex barely interacting let alone touching. His ex had lost her patience with him devoting so much time to his career. Despite how icy things had been between them Dan hadn’t been expecting the breakup. It had hit hard despite how horrible and toxic the relationship had actually been.

He’d tried to tell himself that it would just take some time to heal his wounds. His ego needed to refill. He had tried to tell himself that once the heartache of a bad breakup faded then Abby too would fade from his heart.

He’d had no such luck though. It seemed Abby was always in the back of his mind; always there with her pretty voice and sweet smile.

Sure, there had been more than a few times where Dan had almost confessed to Abby the truth about the agonizing nagging crush he’d developed on her. He had always convinced himself that confessing his feelings for Abby would just be a disaster though.

Who was to say Abby would even feel the same. She probably just saw him as being her goofy sweet friend Dan. She probably saw him as being more like an older brother than a possible romantic conquest.

A voice in the back of Dan’s head always insisted that he was too old for Abby. She was only in her mid-twenties and he was only nearing forty…. well he was thirty-eight, but still 40 wasn’t that far away.

He’d always told himself that his weird commitment issues would just shatter her heart in the end. Dan was so afraid of committing himself to the wrong person that he tended to turn green at the mention of marriage. It just seemed like such a huge frightening leap to make with someone; promising yourself to them for life.

His issues had always ruined his past relationships. Women didn’t like it when you paled at the mention of engagement rings.

He had always tried to tell himself that his issues would just ruin anything that started between Abby and he, just like they ruined all his other relationships.

Abby knew all about his weird issues with commitment. He’d confessed to her more than once that the idea of marriage scared him a little. Sure, she’d never judged him for it, but why would she be interested in him when she knew the idea of getting married made him queasy.

His career would get in the way. He knew that the time spent dedicated to his career would just make a relationship between Abby and he a total garbage fire. He would barely have time for her and she would be left feeling underappreciated and unloved.

After all, so much of his time was dedicated to his career both with the Grumps and his ventures into music. This left most of Dan’s relationships resting on the back burner.

That was what had doomed his last relationship wasn’t it? His tendency to shove the people in his life onto the backburner always assuming they’d wait around for him to pick them back up again.

Dan kept trying to repeat all the reasons Abby and he couldn’t be together as he stood by like an awkward third wheel while Jeff or maybe it was Jack shamelessly flirted with Abby.

Everything in Dan was screaming to grab Abby’s hand and drag her away from this Jeff or Jack guy, but his feet stayed locked in place on the gross wooden bar floors.

Dan frowned his stomach souring as Jeff or Jack leaned in a little too close to Abby for comfort and spoke. “So, do you want to get out of here and grab a bite to eat? I know this great Indian place that’s open late. Sometimes they have this sitar player who performs in the restaurant. You’d love it.”

Abby tried not to frown ignoring the way her heart was screaming out for Dan to intervene and make a move on her.

She pushed back this desire knowing it would never happen. Dan clearly didn’t see her as anything other than a friend. He would have hit on her by now if he saw her as anything other than a friend.

She shoved her stupid doomed crush on Dan to the back of her mind as she tried took a sip of her cocktail. “I would love too, but I came here with a friend tonight…. maybe some other time Jeff.”

Dan resisted the urge to smirk as the guy who was apparently named Jeff and not Jack took notice of Dan working it out in his head that Dan was the friend.

Dan resisted the urge to blurt out “Yeah I’m the friend! Now get lost, she’s picked me, not you!”

He swallowed back the need to speak though knowing anything that came out of his mouth would just be immature. He refused to be childish about this. It was his fault for not making a move on Abby. If he didn’t like her being hit on then he should have made his move a long time ago.

Dan gritted his jaw the Pepsi he’d been sipping suddenly tasting not so sweet as Jeff spoke apparently not ready to give up just yet. “Maybe tomorrow night then? I could pick you up around seven. We could get some food and have a drink. I know this great rooftop bar not far from here. They make great Pina coladas.”

Abby gave Jeff a tight smile ignoring the way her heart was still screeching for Dan to do something. Dan didn’t want her she reminded herself. He wasn’t into commitment. He wasn’t interested in her no matter how badly she’d been crushing on him all this time.

Dan felt his heart sink as Abby spoke up trying to look less like she wasn’t thrilled about the dinner invite. “Okay that sounds great.”

All the sudden Dan wanted to find that sitar Jeff had been talking about it and slam it over the man’s head. Jealousy was an ugly thing

………………….

Abby smoothed down the black dress she’d chosen to wear for her date tonight. She was second guessing this dress choice. It was a gorgeous thin strapped dress, it hugged her frame perfectly. It was a nice velvet material that felt soft against her skin.

It was a beautiful dress, but she wasn’t looking forward to wearing it tonight.

She didn’t even understand why she had agreed to this stupid date. Abby guessed in a way she’d been dumbly hoping that maybe Dan would get upset over it…. she had been hoping that he’d maybe get jealous.

She knew it was stupid. Dan didn’t seem to mind her saying yes to this date. Yes, he may have seemed a little tired and grouchy after Jeff had finally sauntered off, but that was more than likely due to Dan being overworked.

He worked so hard even after burning out from it. He just kept on going and going and going. Abby worried about him. She had told him time and time again to take a break, but Dan insisted he didn’t have time to take a break. He told her not to worry about him, but she couldn’t stop herself. She cared more about him than she wanted to.

Abby kept on telling herself that Dan’s bad mood had nothing at all to do with her going on this date. Dan didn’t have any romantic feelings for her.

She had hoped that maybe Dan would make a move on her at some point. They’d hung out together often enough that he’d had plenty of opportunities to move away from friendship and more towards romance.

Abby had been tempted to practically throw herself at him more than once, but she had always held back. She would like to think she had more dignity than that. She refused to throw herself at a man who clearly wasn’t interested in her.

As much as Abby hated to admit it; Dan’s lack of romantic interest in her stung a little. Was she not good enough or attractive enough for Dan to see her as anything more than another friend?

She knew that her self esteem might not be that great, but she would like to think that she was cute enough. Sure, she was probably a little too short, she’d always been on the petite side. She would like to believe she had a nice enough figure though no matter how petite she was.

She was creative; she had enough confidence to admit that. She had talent too; Dan had at least taken notice of that.

He had tried to get her to give him a recording of her performing to pass along to a few of his industry friends he’d made through Ninja Sex Party. Abby refused to do it though.

She knew it was dumb but she didn’t want anyone to make the assumption that she was just using Dan for his connections. She liked him for who he was, not who he knew or what he could do for her.

Abby liked Dan a lot, but she had gotten the ugly hint that the feelings weren’t mutual.

Abby glared at the pretty blue sundress in her closet. The dress was the same shade of light blue Dan had told her he loved. She knew it was stupid, but she’d bought it in hopes of wearing it if Dan ever made a move and asked her out. She had almost been foolish enough to think that having the pretty blue dress in her closet would somehow make Dan take notice of her stupid crush on him, and ask her on a real date.

It was clear that Dan was never going to ask her out though. She hated how much this fact bothered her.

She could admit that she had a big fat stupid crush on Leigh Daniel Avidan. She’d been nuts about him from the second they’d met.

How could anyone not be crazy about Danny though? Dan Avidan was something special. He was generous, funny, talented, creative, and stupidly handsome.

Yes, he was too tall; almost obnoxiously tall compared to her. He was a giant nerd given his love of fantasy and video games not to mention his adoration of music. He loved football which she honestly didn’t totally get 100 percent no matter how hard she’d tried to care about the sport. He was almost worryingly obsessed with Rush. There was also the entire existence of his little issues with commitment.

No, he wasn’t some kind of commitment phobic playboy. He wasn’t a womanizer by any means. He’d actually admitted to her that he didn’t sleep with anyone who he didn’t have a connection with via relationships or friendship.

Dan wasn’t some swinging bachelor refusing to let any woman tie him down.

It was just that the mention of marriage made Dan a little anxious. He was afraid of committing himself to someone unless he felt totally completely sure of it. He had admitted to Abby that he’d almost been engaged once in his early twenties but that ex couldn’t support his career and a nasty breakup had happened.

Dan had admitted that aside from that particular ex he had never really met anyone who he felt that he could confidently say he wanted to marry.

Abby had tried to reassure him that perhaps he would feel differently if he met the right girl. She had tried to tell him that maybe he just hadn’t met someone who truly got him; who accepted all of him.

He’d told her that she might be right about that; that perhaps he hadn’t met anyone who wanted all of him in his geeky music nerd workaholic glory.

It had taken everything within Abby not to scream that she would want him; all of him, both the good and the bad.

Abby hated that Dan couldn’t see what was right in front of him. She was sure she could wear a big sign declaring her love for Dan and he would remain blind to her.

Abby liked him so much and it just wasn’t fair. She wanted to be going out on this date with Dan. Her heart wanted Dan. It wanted every bit of Dan.

He wasn’t into her though. It felt like she had spent too long still so foolishly clinging on to the hope that he would ask her out one day, that he would notice her. 

She felt dumb for it; hoping he’d be interested in her. She knew she had to get over her stupid crush on Dan. This date would be the first step towards moving past her ridiculous crush.

Even if the date was a disaster she would at least be moving away from pining after a man who didn’t want her.

Abby knew that she couldn’t spend the rest of her life standing around hoping Dan would notice what had been right in front of him all along. He would never notice her; not in the way she wanted him to.

She had barely managed to strap on a pair of black strappy pumps and a light pink fluffy cardigan as her doorbell rang.

Abby tried to paint a smile on her face hoping that it wasn’t clear just how fake the smile was as she made her way to the front door.

The smile dropped from her lips as she opened the front door spotting the last person she’d expected to see tonight. “Dan? what are you doing here?”

Dan paled at the sight of her. She looked amazing.

He swallowed the lump developing in the back of his throat lost as how to explain just what he was doing here.

It had seemed that his feet seemed to have moved on his own. He’d mindlessly gotten into his car and found himself driving here to the small rental home Abby shared with her roommates.

He just couldn’t get the thought of Jeff and Abby out of his head. It made him sick; the thought of Jeff touching Abby, kissing her, making her laugh. It just wasn’t right.

The longer Dan allowed himself to think about Abby’s date tonight the more determined he became to put a stop to it.

Now though as he found himself standing at her doorway stunned by how perfect she looked. He was totally lost as what to say.

Abby moved aside ushering a speechless Dan inside. She spoke concern laced in her voice. “Are you okay?”

Dan forced the words out of his mouth as Abby shut the door behind them. “Don’t go on the date.”

Abby frowned stunned by this comment. What was he saying? Why did he care all the sudden about her date? She turned to face him the frown still etched into her face. “What?...why?”

Dan let out a heavy breath kicking himself for his own words. He couldn’t have gone about that any less gracefully. He ran his hands through his constantly mess of a curly fro his voice tight as he forced the words from his lips. “I…I just, just please don’t go.”

Abby couldn’t stop the scoff from leaving her lips her arms crossing over her chest. She couldn’t help but to be a bit frustrated by his statement. He so clearly didn’t want her. He didn’t have the right to tell her not to go out on a date when he’d been ignoring her obvious crush on him for so long now.

“Why? You have to give me a reason Dan. You can’t just march into my house and order me around.”

Dan dropped his hands to his sides a heavy huff leaving his lips. He knew he had no choice. It was either confess his feelings for her or watch her go out on a date with someone other than him.

He swallowed the lump in his throat the words spilling right out of him. “Because I can’t stand the thought of any one else taking you out. It should be me. I should be the one taking you out. I should have asked you out a long time ago.”

Abby widened her eyes a bit stunned by this confession. He liked her? He actually really liked her? It couldn’t be true. He’d seemed so uninterested in her.

Dan let out a heavy sigh taking in her reaction. The silence probably meant that she didn’t feel the same. She so clearly didn’t feel the same.

He spoke deciding he might as well spill it all out. If he was digging himself into a hole he might as well dig a little deeper. “I know I’m an idiot for not saying anything sooner. I guess I was just afraid of ruining our friendship…I thought I could get over what I felt for you. I mean when we met I’d just gotten out of a pretty shitty relationship and I thought I wasn’t ready for anything with anyone…then you walked into my life and I was so nuts about you…I was crazy about you from the second I met you. As hard as I tried to stop myself I fell for you…I fell hard and I don’t want to get back up.”

He paused swallowing the lump developing in the back of his throat as he prepared to take the rejection that was clearly right around the corner. He was such an idiot. Of course, she didn’t like him. “I can understand if you don’t feel the same…I mean…how could you right? You’re…you’re sweet and smart and gorgeous and you are stupidly talented and creative…I should…I should go. Can we please just forget we had this conversation? Do you think we can forget this?”

Abby snapped out of her shock stepping forward her hand clasping over his as she forced herself to speak. “Do you mean it? I mean…do you really like me?”

Dan nodded his head the words leaving his lips without hesitation. “More than anything.”

The pair leaned closer to one another drawing one another into a deep kiss. Dan leaned down ever so slightly making it easier for Abby to reach his lips not helping but to chuckle at the odd angle.

The second their lips touched Abby felt herself turn to putty against him. She was stunned at the intensity of the kiss. It was so good that it almost knocked her flat on her back. Dan was all too eager to wrap his arms around her holding her close to him her knees growing weak as his lips slid along hers.

Abby slung her arms around his waist her hands clutching at his leather jacket as his tongue coaxed her mouth open. He slid his tongue along hers easily dominating the kiss. Abby couldn’t stop the moan from leaving her lips as he continued to caress her body a groan leaving his lips as he admired the soft velvet of her dress.

Their lips reluctantly parted from one another but Dan nor Abby parted from one another keeping their foreheads pressed together despite the awkward angle Dan had to bend at to do this action. Their height difference made things a little complicated but neither seemed to mind too terribly much.

Dan dared to speak a small chuckle escaping his lips. “So, does this mean you feel the same.”

Abby returned the laugh nodding her head her arms still wrapped tight around him. “Definitely. I’ve kind of been waiting for you to make a move for a while now.”

“Yeah, sorry I’m so slow.” Dan replied his lips sliding along hers again already realizing he was going to be addicted to the feel of her lips against his. Her lips felt so perfect against his; so soft and sweet.

It felt so right.

The pair parted both frowning as the doorbell rang. Abby frowned cringing ever so slightly as the words left her mouth. “It’s Jeff.”

“I’ll handle it.” Dan blurted out surprised by his own words.

A part of him wanted to disappear to a back room and let Abby send Jeff off without giving the man to catch a sight of Dan.

Dan knew that this would be taking the cowards way out though. He had to at least give Jeff the dignity of telling him the truth. Dan should be the one to tell Jeff. Dan had been the one who had kept his lips sealed about his feelings for Abby until now. He had let her make a date before confessing his feelings for her.

Besides Dan wanted to handle this for her. If Abby was his then he’d handle anything she needed him to.

Dan tried not to cringe almost feeling bad for Jeff as he opened the door. Jeff’s smile automatically turned into a glare as he spotted his date’s friend. “What are you doing here?”

Dan let out a small sigh trying not to feel so guilty as he answered Jeff’s question. “Abby won’t be going out tonight.”

Jeff stepped forward attempting to enter the apartment. His grip on the red roses he’d been holding tightening. “Why not? Who the hell are you to say where she’s going?”

Dan spoke unable to stop the words from leaving his lips and sounding a bit harsh as he blocked Jeff from entering the house. “I’m her boyfriend, that’s who.”

“Since when?” Jeff snapped his grip on the roses growing even tighter as he still tried to force himself into the house.

Dan continued to block Jeff from entering the home as he spoke telling the truth. “Since a few minutes ago.”

Dan was taken by shock by the punch to his face. Jeff moved fast raising his fist and colliding it with Dan’s right eye.

Dan leaned forward his head in his hand as he tried to block Jeff’s hits.

Abby moved quick attempting to put a stop to this her voice frantic. “Stop it! Stop it right now!”

Jeff spoke spitting the words out at Abby. “Don’t you even talk to me! Seriously? You picked this pipecleaner? We had a date and you’re jumping into this skinny prick’s arms like some kind of slut?”

“Don’t you talk to her like that!” Dan snapped dropping his hand from his face moving forward to swing back at Jeff.

Abby moved quick getting in between the two men shoving them away from one another as she spoke. “Stop it! Just stop! Jeff, you need to leave. I swear if you don’t leave I’m calling the police!”

Jeff tossed the roses down onto the porch spitting at Abby his glare cold. “Whatever. She’s all yours.”

Abby was quick to slam the door behind Jeff and usher Dan over to the sofa. She was fast to press an ice pack to his face. She spoke as Dan reached up placing his hand over hers. “I can’t believe he hit you.”

“I probably deserved it…I mean I can’t blame him for being pissed…I probably would be too.” Dan replied trying hard to ignore the pain in his face and focus on his hand over hers.

Abby rolled her eyes at this comment. “Yeah but I highly doubt you would have hit anyone.”

Dan nodded his head knowing she was right. He’d never been one to throw the first punch. More than likely if he was in Jeff’s shoes he would have just shuffled off to feel sorry for himself.

He felt his stomach turn realizing he’d almost let Abby go out with a jerk like Jeff. “I’m just glad you didn’t go out with him. If he hit me who’s to say he wouldn’t have hurt you. I would have killed him if he’d laid a hand on you.”

“He didn’t. He’s not getting anywhere near me Danny. Trust me. I’ll shoot him if he comes near me.” Abby reassured him already seeing that he was getting himself worked up.

She spoke again not giving him the chance to reply as she checked the damage underneath the ice pack. “I’m afraid this is going to bruise.”

“I’ll live. If worst comes to worst I’ll get Suzy to use some concealer on me or something…. or I can wear shades…it’s not like we use facecams while we’re recording…I’ll explain it to everyone in as little detail as possible.” Dan replied cringing a bit at the cold ice against his eye as she pressed the ice pack back to his eye.

Abby shook her head a small sigh escaping her lips as she tried to make a joke about how awful this situation was. “I don’t know if I’m worth a black eye.”

“No, you’re definitely worth a black eye…your worth two black eyes.” Dan replied thankful as he worked a small laugh from her lips.

He took a chance his lips sliding along hers once again the kiss momentarily making him forget the pain in his face.

Abby couldn’t stop herself from speaking her curiosity getting the best of her as their lips parted. “Why didn’t you tell me you liked me sooner?”

Dan let out a small sigh embarrassment hitting him as he allowed himself to admit the truth. “I was afraid I was too old for you.”

“You’re only thirty-eight Dan.” Abby pointed out trying to hold back a chuckle at his confession. It seemed so ridiculous. He wasn’t that old.

“Yeah, but forty is right around the corner. I was like eleven when you were born..I could have babysat you at one point..” Dan pointed out a little stunned that she didn’t seem to be bothered by the age difference.

“I don’t care about any of that The age difference isn’t that huge....It doesn’t bother me…I mean does it bother you?” Abby blurted out not helping but to fear that this issue would doom their relationship before it even had a chance to begin.

Dan furrowed his brow realizing the truth. “No, it doesn’t bother me…. I thought it would be more of an issue than it actually is actually…I guess, I guess I just thought it would bother you, that you wouldn’t be interested in me because I was too old for you.”

“Well you are looking a little gray in the beard.” Abby teased pressing her hand to his cheek against the slight stubble along it.

Dan chuckled his lips sliding along hers as he spoke. “Be nice, I took a black eye for you.”

 

“I thought I was worth the black eye?” Abby replied not helping but to melt into the kiss as he pressed his lips to hers again.

“You are you’re so worth it.” Dan stated not helping but to pull her closer to him.

He closed his eyes leaning into the ice pack pressed to his eye. She was worth it. She was so worth a black eye.


End file.
